The Search
It was like watching a tennis tournament; you know how your eyes follow the ball from left to right, left to right. The only thing is that Eric was watching a fork go up and down, up and down – from Calleigh's mouth to the plate and back and forth. His mouth was slightly agape as he watched Calleigh in amazement. Never in a million years had he thought he would see such a sight- after all Calleigh Duquesne was a stickler for a healthy regimen. Pregnancy sure does a lot of unusual things to a woman.
Calleigh then noticed Eric's stare, "What?" she asked baffled.
Eric can't help but chuckle," You look so adorable."
"All right, go ahead make fun of me!" Calleigh retorted while putting her empty plate in the washer.
"I know I should be watching what I eat as per doctor's order but babe- I can't control it, it's like a hole inside of me that I can't seem to fill." She looks frustrated now."Probably in three month's time I'll be so fat that I'd get stuck everywhere I go."
Eric started to chuckle again but this time Calleigh can't help but laugh at herself too.
"Babe, I really don't care how you look, all I know is that you will always be my beautiful Calleigh and I would love you just the same." he said as he gave her a hug.
After dinner, they curled up close together in the couch watching TV. As Eric was flipping through the channels; something caught Calleigh's attention.
"Hey, Eric, can you please flip it back to Discovery? I want to watch that Bourdain guy. His show is very interesting – he goes around the world trying out local cuisine. Oh, he's in Asia!"
"What's with you and food nowadays Cal?"
"Shhh! Oooh that looks good."
"No, I don't think I want to try that!"
"Hey, that looks yum- green mango salad!"
Eric can't help but doze off listening to Cal's endless chatter about the different exotic food she saw in the show. Suddenly he felt a nudge from Calleigh."Eric, its only 8:30 don't sleep on me."
"Sorry Cal, the day just wore me off."
"Hey Babe," Calleigh said in her sweetest voice."I can't help but think of those green mangoes I saw. Do you think you could get it for me tonight, please?"
Did he just saw her batting her eyelashes?
"Babe, we just had dinner. You just finished a huge bowl of spaghetti and two slices of apple pie. You're still hungry?"
"Fine!" Calleigh said sulking. Eric could not stand looking at his pregnant wife's disappointed face, "I'm so sorry babe. Just for you, I'll go to the farthest ends of the earth to get you your green mangoes." He said jokingly attempting to appease her.
Calleigh can't help but don her victory smile."That's sweet! Thanks Eric." And then she said while looking at the wall clock," Okay... you only have half an hour before the stores close. Go!"
-0-
Eric went to 5 grocery stores, two of them Cuban but he could not find any green mangoes. He decided to call his mother to ask for help.
"Hello." His mom answered the phone.
"Hi Mami! Como estas?
"Eric! What a surprise?"
"I'm sorry for calling this late Mami but I need your help."
"What is it, mi hijo? Is there something wrong?"
"No, actually I just called to ask you where I can buy green mangos here in Miami."
"Did you go to Sedano's or El Presidente?"
"Yes, I did Mami but they only have the yellow ripe mangoes. Calleigh wants the green, unripe ones."
Eric's mom gave an amused laugh,"Dios mio! Calleigh sure knows what to ask for! Try the Asian markets hijo, I think they have lots of those."
"Maybe I should just head home and tell her that I'd get it first thing tomorrow."
"Oh no,no,no hijo. That is not good. If you don't give a pregnant woman what she is craving for it would affect the baby."
"Is that right? Well, I better head to the Asian market right now then. Gracias, Mami."
The woman in the Asian store was just about to lock up for the night when Eric came dashing towards her. "Can I just go in for a few minutes to buy green mangoes?"
"We close owledy." the woman said.
"Please, I have to get green mangos for my wife. Do you have some?"
"Yeah, we have mango, no gleen."
"You don't have green mangos, just the yellow ones?" The woman again said, "Yeh, mango, no gleen."
"Can you just hold on a second please? I'll just make a call."
He turned his back away from the woman. "Hey Babe, I'm just in this Asian store and they are about to close now but they got this really nice looking mangoes, they smell good too!"
Calleigh asked "Are they green?"
"No, they're ripe golden yellow ones Cal."
"Then I don't want it, I want the green ones."
"Babe" Eric was about to protest but thought otherwise. He was trying to control his frustration," Okay, I promised you that I'll get you green mangoes tonight so I will. Talk to you in a bit."
Turning back to the woman who was obviously eavesdropping, he thanked her for waiting on him and went back to his car.
Eric did not know what to do, he was getting desperate. Out of the blue, he pressed Ryan's number,
"Hello" Ryan answered.
"Hey, Wolfe! It's Delko!
"Yeah, I know that. My phone actually has a caller ID, Delko."
"Wolfe, I'm on a bind here, I don't know if you can help me."
"Sorry Eric, but I'm short of cash too."
"Where can you buy green mangos here in Miami?"
"Excuse me, did I hear you say green mangos? Are there green mangos?"
"Wolfe most fruits are green before they ripen."
"Why won't you google it or go ask yelp or something."
"Actually, I've been to 7 stores already man but none of them have green mangos. I don't know what to do."
"Is it for Calleigh?"
"No,Wolfe, it's for me...of course it's for Calleigh!"
"You are in big trouble man, huge!"
"I know! Ever since she got pregnant her cravings are becoming weirder and weirder every day."
"Hey, I just thought of something, that new Lab Tech on the night shift, Lea, maybe she can help you . I remember her mention about working in her uncle's store sometimes. Why won't you call her? It's a long shot but who knows."
"Thanks Wolfe! If this pans out – I owe you one."
-0-
Eric quickly dialled the DNA Lab and asked for Lea.
"Lea speaking, how may I help you?"
"Hi Lea! This is Eric Delko from Day shift."
"Hey, Eric! I heard about you and your wife Calleigh but I haven't had the opportunity to meet you both yet."
"Yeah, ummm, Ryan Wolfe- he told me that your uncle owns an Asian food store?"
"Does it have something to do with the case you are working on right now?" asked Lea sounding confused.
"Oh no, I'm sorry, I should have mentioned that the reason for my call is totally not work related. Actually, it has something to do with my wife."
"Okay?" Lea replied.
"She has this craving for green mangos and as was told that you can buy it in Asian stores."
Lea sounded amused. "Really, she's craving for green mangos? I thought that was an Asian thing. I'll tell you what Eric, I'll call my uncle and ask him and I'll call you back right away."
"Okay, thanks Lea!"
A couple of minutes passed when Eric's phone rang. "Delko."
"It's Lea. I got some good news for you. My uncle just got a shipment of green mangos from the Philippines yesterday but there is bad news though- he's locked up for the night!"
"Lea, would it be possible if he can open the store for me? I promise it won't take long."
"Actually, I asked him that already and he has agreed provided you will be there within the hour."
"No problem, by the way , where is his store?"
"That's the thing- it's on the other side of town. I doubt that you can make it there within 30 minutes."
Lea gave him the stores address.
"Tell him I'm on my way! And Lea –thank you so much. I really appreciate it."
"No worries! I better call him now. See you Eric!"
At exactly 29 minutes he made it to the store. He pressed the doorbell and a few minutes later an elderly man who he believes is Lea's uncle opened the door.
"Hello Sir, I am so sorry to inconvenience you but I just have to get green mangos tonight."
"Is your wife pregnant?"
"Yes, and she's craving for green mangos."
"I don't know what's with green mangos and pregnant women. My wife asked for the same thing when she was pregnant with our oldest son."
"Really, I've never come across that before but this is our first baby."
Lea's uncle showed him the green mangos. Eric could not believe that finally he was holding one of them.
"I'll take half a dozen of it please."
"That will be $3.00." He handed him a ten dollar bill which is the only cash he had.
"You are eight dollars short amigo."
"Sorry, I thought it's only for $3.00."
"Oh no, they are $3.00 each. That totals $18.00 for 6 pieces."
Eric was surprised."Whoa! They're quite pricey!"
"Oh yes, Philippine mangos are the best in the world be it yellow or green, so they are a bit expensive."
"I guess I can only buy three then." Just great!
"Okay, young man- I know that you went to all the trouble just for your pregnant wife so I'll throw in 2 for free."
"You don't have to do that Sir."
"That's okay, but if she wants more, please get it here."
"Okay then, thank you very much! Sorry again for the inconvenience."
"No problemo amigo."
It was a quarter before midnight when Eric entered their front door.
